The “casas-hogar” project for the children of Morelia (1943-1948)

Abstract

he present paper seeks to analyse a project of creating and running a system
of lodgings which were created to accommodate the so-called “children of
Morelia”. he ordeal of the 464 Spanish children who arrived in Mexico in
1937 was marked by a strong polemic and political ights from the moment of
their arrival. As they were the object of propaganda between opposing political
groups, their integration in Mexico was made diicult and it also afected
negatively the development of the centre which hosted them. Around 1943,
the situation in the Spanish-Mexican school of Morelia was no longer sustainable
and the authorities decided to close it down. As most youngsters quit
school or were just about to inish their primary school studies, some help
had to be ofered to them so that they could continue their studies or look for
a job without being let alone or cut of from their peers. It is in this context
that the “casas-hogar” (‘houses-home’) Federación de Organismos de Ayuda
a los Republicanos Españoles (FOARE) Project started, which worked relatively
successfully for ive years. he article analyses the economic and institutional
development of these lodgings, as well as the life conditions of its inhabitants.